Mill's Position on Paternalism

John Stuart Mill, by way of his work, On Liberty, questions the extent to which government should be able to interfere with the liberties of its citizens. The crucial concern for Mill is where the state should draw the line, at the individual level, with regard to its desires to determine what is best for the citizen and thus society as a whole. As a result of his recognition of the shortcomings of representative democracy, …

…are not, on the whole respected, is free, whatever may be its form of government; and none is completely free in which they do not exist absolute and unqualified.” Paternalism impedes the freedom of the individual, this hinders the freedom of society as a whole, and thus it is not justified. Assessed at all levels, paternalism failed the tests to which Mill put it in his work, tests which were unjustly reiterated in this work.